Those are the ones I thought of right off the bat. I feel like there’s a legitimate chance I can meet them all, too. I’ve actually had personal correspondence with all of them, so that’s a start.

I know there are more that I’ll add to the list, but I figure I’ll keep it manageable for now.

And what’s the common thread here? All of these people have inspired me in some way. Whether by their writing, their lyrics, their voices or their skills, they’ve all shaped me somehow.

Take Jim Abbott, for instance. I was born with one hand and grew-up loving sports. In 1989, I was 12, and Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, burst onto the scene. I was a pitcher in Little League and admired him like no other player. I followed him throughout his entire career, the ups and downs, and even his stint with my team, the Brewers! Jim’s crowning achievement was throwing a no-hitter with the Yankees and to this day I occasionally go watch the end of that game on YouTube.

The picture above is of some of my favorite baseball cards of Jim. The owner of the card shop where I went every weekend to find a new card gave me that signed picture. That was a good day. I’d love to meet Jim one day and just thank him for his inspiration. I’ve got a year, right?

Each of the people listed above deserves a little write-up, but I’ll save them until after we meet.